Delicacy on a Plate
Sharon Grealey25/11/2009 11:47:00 a.m.
Plate Restaurant, 75 Featherstone Street.
PLATE Restaurant serves my new favourite dessert, so I’m going to start at the end.
If you’ve never tried pannacota with amaretto jelly and amaretto granite, please do.
The combination of the amaretto, a white, custard-like delight, topped with a shelf of jelly, and drizzled with berries and crushed ice that’s been soaked in alcohol, is fireworks for the taste buds. Simply a brilliant ending to a brilliant night.
My date continued the berry theme and ordered a summer berry mille-feuille. The crispy puff pastry provided the sandwich for vanilla cream and fresh berries, and he said the proportion was perfect after an equally delicious starter and main.
The light summery meals are offered as part of Plate’s new spring menu, which was designed by the chef, Hungarian-born Jozsef Szekely.
He tells us the menu will continue for about three months, and it’s his aim to only use ingredients that are in season, with a focus on New Zealand products.
Ever helpful, Szekely is kind to spend so much time with us despite it being a busy night, and endeavours to find perfect wine matches for each meal.
He also has the added bonus of being a mind reader.
Szekely recommends the lamb rump with pistachio crust, potatoes and artichoke puree for me, and the fish-of-the-day salmon with kumara mash and asparagus for my date. How funny – we planned to select those anyway.
My lamb was medium rare, juicy, thick and delicious with the tangy artichoke puree. My dates’ salmon literally melted on the tongue. Enough said.
My first impression when arriving at the restaurant in Holiday Inn, is that it provides a relaxed but classy atmosphere to enjoy fine dining. Plus, it boasts cool ceiling-to-floor curtains made out of metal links, which swing softly under the air conditioning, and sparkle when they catch the light. I couldn’t help but pluck the links like a harp.
It was a nice sunny evening and a perfect opportunity to sample the seafood starters. We shared grilled prawns with nectarine salad and halloumi cheese, and pan-fried squid on a fennel and orange salad.
I’ve never mixed seafood and fruit before, but Szekely knows exactly what works. I happily thought the combination was delicious as the fresh prawns popped in my mouth. To top it off, all the staff at Plate are polite, helpful, and happy to engage in conversation, and I instantly felt at ease.
The restaurant offers something for everyone, and from December 1-24 they will serve a Christmas lunch buffet.
I arrived at Plate looking forward to a nice meal. I left with a new favourite dessert.
PLATE Restaurant serves my new favourite dessert, so I’m going to start at the end.
If you’ve never tried pannacota with amaretto jelly and amaretto granite, please do.
The combination of the amaretto, a white, custard-like delight, topped with a shelf of jelly, and drizzled with berries and crushed ice that’s been soaked in alcohol, is fireworks for the taste buds. Simply a brilliant ending to a brilliant night.
My date continued the berry theme and ordered a summer berry mille-feuille. The crispy puff pastry provided the sandwich for vanilla cream and fresh berries, and he said the proportion was perfect after an equally delicious starter and main.
The light summery meals are offered as part of Plate’s new spring menu, which was designed by the chef, Hungarian-born Jozsef Szekely.
He tells us the menu will continue for about three months, and it’s his aim to only use ingredients that are in season, with a focus on New Zealand products.
Ever helpful, Szekely is kind to spend so much time with us despite it being a busy night, and endeavours to find perfect wine matches for each meal.
He also has the added bonus of being a mind reader.
Szekely recommends the lamb rump with pistachio crust, potatoes and artichoke puree for me, and the fish-of-the-day salmon with kumara mash and asparagus for my date. How funny – we planned to select those anyway.
My lamb was medium rare, juicy, thick and delicious with the tangy artichoke puree. My dates’ salmon literally melted on the tongue. Enough said.
My first impression when arriving at the restaurant in Holiday Inn, is that it provides a relaxed but classy atmosphere to enjoy fine dining. Plus, it boasts cool ceiling-to-floor curtains made out of metal links, which swing softly under the air conditioning, and sparkle when they catch the light. I couldn’t help but pluck the links like a harp.
It was a nice sunny evening and a perfect opportunity to sample the seafood starters. We shared grilled prawns with nectarine salad and halloumi cheese, and pan-fried squid on a fennel and orange salad.
I’ve never mixed seafood and fruit before, but Szekely knows exactly what works. I happily thought the combination was delicious as the fresh prawns popped in my mouth. To top it off, all the staff at Plate are polite, helpful, and happy to engage in conversation, and I instantly felt at ease.
The restaurant offers something for everyone, and from December 1-24 they will serve a Christmas lunch buffet.
I arrived at Plate looking forward to a nice meal. I left with a new favourite dessert.
